Between The Ropes » royal rumblehttp://www.betweentheropes.com
Tue, 03 Mar 2015 04:16:06 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=4.1.1http://www.betweentheropes.com/?feed=podcastBrian Fritz and Michael Wiseman talk pro wrestling and pop culture with top personalities.Brian FritznoBrian Fritzfritz@betweentheropes.comfritz@betweentheropes.com (Brian Fritz)by Brian FritzBetween The Ropes » royal rumblehttp://www.betweentheropes.com/wp-content/uploads/powerpress/new_BTR_logo_2_1400_x_1400.jpghttp://www.betweentheropes.com
TV-14WWE Finally Got It Righthttp://www.betweentheropes.com/2015/02/09/wwe-finally-got-right/
http://www.betweentheropes.com/2015/02/09/wwe-finally-got-right/#commentsMon, 09 Feb 2015 19:10:53 +0000http://www.betweentheropes.com/?p=16610On last Monday’s edition of Raw, the WWE actually did something no one expected it to do: the smart thing. A week removed from the Royal Rumble, an event that was widely panned thanks to the forced push of Roman Reigns, the WWE had some decisions to make. Do they stick with the plan, push ...

]]>On last Monday’s edition of Raw, the WWE actually did something no one expected it to do: the smart thing.

A week removed from the Royal Rumble, an event that was widely panned thanks to the forced push of Roman Reigns, the WWE had some decisions to make. Do they stick with the plan, push Reigns like nothing happened and hope Wrestlemania isn’t booed or do they try to please the fans, possibly go with Daniel Bryan and change their plans heading into the biggest show of the year for the second straight year?

Well, on paper, they’ve done the right thing. Triple H announced on Monday that Daniel Bryan would face Seth Rollins for the right to face Reigns at Fast Lane later this month, with the winner going on to main event Wrestlemania.

More than that, it’s how they got there that’s so awesome.

For those of you who didn’t watch the Rumble, here’s a quick recap: Reigns eliminated Big Show and Kane only to have them come back into the ring and proceed with the beat down. Out comes The Rock to save the day. They clear house and Rusev, long assumed to have been eliminated, runs in and is promptly dispatched.

So when Triple H was announcing the changing of the plans due to “controversy”, he was not-so-subtly referencing the negative reaction Reigns garnered, but was also very smartly making note of the fact that hey, The Rock isn’t even employed by the WWE anymore and interfered in a way that benefitted Reigns. Sure, Reigns “won” the Rumble, but would he have if Rock didn’t show up? So really, it justifies them making Reigns earn his spot. He’s getting that opportunity because he won, but isn’t getting the guaranteed spot because of how he won.

It also works because of Daniel Bryan. It ties up one huge loose end: he never got his rematch. He was stripped of the title last year and when he returned, he never got his rematch. Triple rightly points out that basically he would have gotten it if he didn’t come back all gung-ho and try to win the Rumble when maybe he should’ve realized he didn’t stand a chance. He now gets his opportunity at a rematch, making the crowd happy and tying up a kayfabe loose end.

Lastly, this works because they’re still going to push Reigns to Wrestlemania, but this is the way it should have been done. The joke going around is “make Roman look strong” and you can see that the WWE does this routinely. But they’ve made him a much more interesting character by making him vulnerable instead of an ethnic John Cena. People don’t hate Cena because he wins, they hate Cena because there’s little doubt he’ll win. There’s no suspension of disbelief that he could possibly lose. With Reigns, he’s reeling because of this decision. He lost to the Big Show thanks to some shenanigans and things aren’t going his way. This match with Bryan is their way to give the fans the appearance that they’re treating Bryan like a main-eventer while the real purpose will be for him to have an A+ match with Reigns, making Reigns look believably strong heading into ‘Mania. It’s their way to tell the fans “okay, we hear you, but this our guy” without making it look malicious. And as one of those pissed off fans, I can be okay with that. Just don’t treat my favorites like they don’t matter. That’s all I ask.

Maybe Roman Reigns will be the guy that leads the WWE for the next decade and maybe he’ll flop. But the WWE is finally setting him up for a little bit of success by showing he can be strong without making everyone else around him look weak.

Maybe we’ll get really lucky and Daniel Bryan will win. No matter how many times WWE gives me reason not to, I still hope.

]]>http://www.betweentheropes.com/2015/02/09/wwe-finally-got-right/feed/0Saving Roman Reigns: Overcoming His Current WWE Issueshttp://www.betweentheropes.com/2015/02/02/saving-roman-reigns-overcoming-his-current-wwe-issues/
http://www.betweentheropes.com/2015/02/02/saving-roman-reigns-overcoming-his-current-wwe-issues/#commentsMon, 02 Feb 2015 19:27:54 +0000http://www.betweentheropes.com/?p=16500It happened again. The winner of the Royal Rumble match, a man pushed as a top babyface, was drenched in boos from a dismayed and angry crowd. Last year it was Batista, who soon embraced the hate and became Boo-tista (and eventually Blue-tista…). This year, it’s Roman Reigns, the apparent future “face of the company.” ...

]]>It happened again. The winner of the Royal Rumble match, a man pushed as a top babyface, was drenched in boos from a dismayed and angry crowd. Last year it was Batista, who soon embraced the hate and became Boo-tista (and eventually Blue-tista…). This year, it’s Roman Reigns, the apparent future “face of the company.” Last year, the fans rallied behind the heel Reigns in the Rumble match in hopes he would keep Batista from taking the predictable win. This year, the rally turned to revolt.

One can speculate about the reasons behind the reaction of the fans. Some will point to his bad promos and lack of overall readiness to be the top guy, others to the fact that the company seems to be pushing him onto the fans, and many will plainly be upset that it wasn’t the guy the fans have chosen as “the guy,” Daniel Bryan. There might be many other reasons for the backlash that caused #CancelWWENetwork to trend on twitter, but these are probably the big three. And luckily for Roman Reigns, all three can be dealt with. And, with that, let’s get started on saving Reigns.

Issue 1: “He’s not ready!” (AKA: The Sufferin Succotash Problem)

The promos Reigns has cut since having hernia surgery have been pretty bad. From forgetting his lines when announcing his entrance into the Rumble match, to the corny gestures during his superman promo, to the infamous “sufferin succotash” line, Regins is dreadful on the mic. This wasn’t a problem before The Shield broke up. All Reigns had to do was say “Believe that” and everything was fine. Now, he has to speak for himself… or does he?

Back in 2002, a monster of a man was dubbed “The Next Big Thing.” He had the look, he was good enough in the ring (though a bit unpolished), had an excellent background (as the NCAA heavyweight wrestling champion), and was terrible on the mic. Yet, that last bit didn’t hold him back. Why? He had Paul Heyman. Reigns has the same checklist. A good look, he’s good in the ring , and his background includes being part of the famed Anoa’i wrestling family. Why can’t Reigns be paired with a manager (or whatever WWE wants to call said person) to speak for him?

Rumors have been circulating for almost a year now that WWE has been wanting to give Ric Flair a more regular role on television. Why not pair Naitch with Roman? Flair could give Reigns a rub, possibly dry up the boos, and be well equipped to handle the jeers that remain. Flair knows how to draw heat both as a heel and a face and would be the perfect mouthpiece for a guy on such rocky ground with the fans. Then Reigns wouldn’t have to worry about ruining a promo and could focus on developing himself inside the ring. The more he can focus on the non-verbal aspects of the genre, the more “ready” he becomes. If WWE didn’t want to put Flair (who can be a bit unpredictable on the mic) with Reigns, they could go with someone else (am I crazy for thinking Kevin Nash could make a fun babyface manager?). Regardless, letting someone, ANYONE, else do the talking for him could go a long way in saving Reigns.

Issue 2: “He’s being pushed on us!” (AKA: Superstar of the Year?)

WWE says they listen to the fans. They don’t. More accurately, they can’t. Wrestling fans rarely agree on anything so trying to please everyone can’t happen. What they can do, and in this case didn’t do, is please the majority. It’s clear that WWE is going “all in” on Reigns and because of this, he’s being positioned as the top guy in the company. There’s nothing inherently wrong with this. The problem arises in the fact that the fans aren’t welcoming Reigns with the open arms that awaited guys like Stone Cold, Rock, and, yes, even Cena way back when.

The reason for the pushback is multifaceted. Two big problems stick out. The first thing is, fans are smarter now than ever before, and they can see through many of the tactics that the company used back in the day to establish stars. They saw the way Reigns was being positioned and said “Hey, wait a second, you can’t tell us what to think!” The second is the fact that there are other wrestlers like Dean Ambrose, Dolph Ziggler, Seth Rollins, and of course Daniel Bryan that fans have grown attached to, especially during Reigns’ absence due to hernia surgery. The fans see Reigns’ push as a threat to the success of their favorite younger stars.

So how can we save Reigns from this? It’s not too complicated, really. WWE needs to make sure the rest of the younger superstars stay relevant. While that’s not complicated, WWE does a terrible job at it. If they’re not in the main event (or close to it) WWE seems to forget certain superstars exist. This includes their secondary champions, who seem to go on losing streaks as soon as they get the titles. WWE and it’s “creative” team needs to focus on every aspect of the show, not just the top two programs. If Ambrose, Ziggler, Rollins, Cesaro, Barrett, Rusev, Wyatt and all the other amazing talent they have are involved in meaningful programs that the fans can invest in (IE: care about who wins and who loses, and the ramifications thereof) then the paranoia of having Reigns stepping over them to be the top guy would diminish.

And as for Reigns himself, he needs to let the curtain be pulled back a little on his life. I liked the approach that WWE took during its snowstorm Raw, allowing Reigns to talk about his family. If the fans can learn about who he is as a person, then they can start to connect to him and make a connection with his character. Before his sit down interview on Raw, all we knew about him as far as the Roman Reigns television persona is concerned, was that he was in The Shield and he likes walking through the crowd. That’s pretty much it. So the more we can learn about Reigns (preferably via a manager type character) the more the fans will back him because he’d be relatable.

Issue 3: “Daniel Bryan! (clap clap clap-clap-clap)

We, the collective wrestling fans, love Daniel Bryan. I could explain it, but if you’re reading this you probably share the sentiment. The fans will not accept Reigns as the top guy if it is at Bryan’s expense. WWE didn’t do themselves any favors by having Bryan get eliminated without much more creativity than Fandango’s elimination before him. He lasted a measly 10 minutes (by comparison, Stardust lasted 12…) and his elimination signaled the end of any real civility from the fans. WWE needs to plan something big for Daniel Bryan moving towards WrestleMania. I don’t exactly know what that would be, but I know that it has to be big for the fans to allow Reigns to take the main event title match. If the streak hadn’t already been broken, I’d say put him with Taker but I don’t think that would work now. There could be some kind of match involving the permanent removal of The Authority, but WWE has already burned that bridge and Triple H is most likely working with Sting. That leaves two possibilities. Either Bryan works some kind of match that makes him the number one contender moving forward from Mania (and even that might not satiate the crowd) or they add him to the main event (which might feel like a rehash of last year).

This issue is what will decide the fate of Roman Reigns and whether he can be saved. WWE needs to realize that Bryan is the fans’ guy and that anyone being pushed at Bryan’s expense will receive this backlash. It may seem like a rehash (and I’d personally like to see something else booked), but adding Bryan may be WWE’s only hope at saving the WrestleMania main event and ultimately, saving Reigns.

]]>http://www.betweentheropes.com/2015/02/02/saving-roman-reigns-overcoming-his-current-wwe-issues/feed/0The Flagship: WWE Royal Rumble 2015 Fallout, Dislike for Roman Reigns and Raw is Snowstormhttp://www.betweentheropes.com/2015/01/27/flagship-wwe-royal-rumble-2015-fallout-dislike-roman-reigns-raw-snowstorm/
http://www.betweentheropes.com/2015/01/27/flagship-wwe-royal-rumble-2015-fallout-dislike-roman-reigns-raw-snowstorm/#commentsWed, 28 Jan 2015 04:18:38 +0000http://www.betweentheropes.com/?p=16432Brian and Michael are back for the latest edition of The Flagship as they discuss WWE Royal Rumble 2015 which included an incredible world championship match between Brock Lesnar, Seth Rollins and John Cena as well as a disappointing Rumble match, the decision to go with Roman Reigns as the winner and the crowd reaction ...

]]>Brian and Michael are back for the latest edition of The Flagship as they discuss WWE Royal Rumble 2015 which included an incredible world championship match between Brock Lesnar, Seth Rollins and John Cena as well as a disappointing Rumble match, the decision to go with Roman Reigns as the winner and the crowd reaction towards him, the #CancelWWENetwork movement that night, Reigns vs. Lesnar at WrestleMania 31, more guessing on the card for that show and your questions as Brian does the show from Phoenix, the site of Super Bowl 49!

]]>http://www.betweentheropes.com/2015/01/27/flagship-wwe-royal-rumble-2015-fallout-dislike-roman-reigns-raw-snowstorm/feed/0Brian and Michael are back for the latest edition of The Flagship as they discuss WWE Royal Rumble 2015 which included an incredible world championship match between Brock Lesnar, Seth Rollins and John Cena as well as a disappointing Rumble match,Brian and Michael are back for the latest edition of The Flagship as they discuss WWE Royal Rumble 2015 which included an incredible world championship match between Brock Lesnar, Seth Rollins and John Cena as well as a disappointing Rumble match, the decision to go with Roman Reigns as the winner and the crowd reaction towards him, the #CancelWWENetwork movement that night, Reigns vs. Lesnar at WrestleMania 31, more guessing on the card for that show and your questions as Brian does the show from Phoenix, the site of Super Bowl 49!
Subscribe to Between The Ropes on iTunes so you automatically get the latest podcasts and make sure to give us your review and comments on iTunes. You can also subscribe to Between The Ropes on Stitcher.Brian Fritzno1:17:24The High’s and Low’s of the WWE Royal Rumble 2015http://www.betweentheropes.com/2015/01/27/the-highs-and-lows-of-the-wwe-royal-rumble-2015/
http://www.betweentheropes.com/2015/01/27/the-highs-and-lows-of-the-wwe-royal-rumble-2015/#commentsTue, 27 Jan 2015 13:54:32 +0000http://www.betweentheropes.com/?p=16429Sunday night’s Royal Rumble was a roller coaster of action, emotions, and drama. At one point, the show peaked with, literally, one of the best triple-threat matches ever witnessed. By the end, however, babyfaces were booed out of the building and a network-cancellation movement had taken over Twitter. Despite the vitriol being spewed toward the ...

]]>Sunday night’s Royal Rumble was a roller coaster of action, emotions, and drama. At one point, the show peaked with, literally, one of the best triple-threat matches ever witnessed. By the end, however, babyfaces were booed out of the building and a network-cancellation movement had taken over Twitter.

Despite the vitriol being spewed toward the WWE the last 24 hours, there were many positive things to take from the show.

The most obvious feather in the cap of Sunday night’s event was the epic WWE World Heavyweight Title match between Brock Lesnar, John Cena, and Seth Rollins. The match accomplished the rare feat of a clean finish that kept all three competitors looking strong.

First, there was Cena, who entered the arena to a myriad of boos and the melodic Philadelphia choir singing “John Cena sucks,” perfectly timed to the instrumental chorus of his theme music.

Cena never panicked, or wavered, however. He carried on in classic John Cena fashion, solid-if-unspectacular, taking brutal suplexes from Lesnar, doling out his signature moves, and selling like crazy for Rollins.

Seth Rollins further cemented his spot as the future of pro wrestling, with his performance. The two highlights of the night belonged to Mr. Money in the Bank: a brutal elbow drop to a prone Lesnar that destroyed the Spanish announce table, and the reemergence of his top rope Phoenix Splash, which hasn’t been seen since his ROH days. Despite taking the final pinfall, Rollins proved that, when he does cash in his briefcase, he is more than ready to carry the company’s top prize.

Brock Lesnar, meanwhile, always seems to be able to make us forget why we’re mad at him. After sporadic appearances on Raw (and four months without a title defense), I was ready for Lesnar to drop the belt at the Royal Rumble, wrestle a devoid-of-heat, meaningless match at ‘Mania to fulfill his contract (i.e. his WM 20 bout with Goldberg), and head back to the world of MMA.

But The Beast earned his money on Sunday.

After dominating the early portion of the match, Lesnar sold like a champ. Brock took several AA’s, a Curb Stomp, and a flying elbow through a table. For someone who is constantly labeled as a ‘mercenary’ who is only interested in the money, Lesnar sure knows how to go full throttle when the lights are the brightest. Brock sold the hell out of the table spot, only to return late in the brawl to finish Rollins with a cool series that culminated in a final F-5.

Instead of wishing that he would drop the belt to a ‘full timer’, I’m now wondering what the WWE needs to do to in order to secure his services for the long term.

As for the actual Rumble match, there was much to like as well.

The majority of the ‘surprise’ entrants had me captivated (not you, Boogeyman). Handing the #3 spot to Bubba Ray Dudley, in ECW country, was a slam dunk. Seeing Bubba in his fatigues, high boots, and nerd glasses was great nostalgia for not only the Philly crowd, but the viewers at home. And while Bubba seemed to have packed on a few kilos since we last saw him in TNA, I hope this was the precursor to a final run with the Fed.

And let me just say, I want to be Diamond Dallas Page when I grow up. At nearly 60 years old, DDP provided to perfect infomercial for his burgeoning yoga empire by delivering perfect Diamond Cutters to everyone in sight. DDP was even able to get some meaningful heat on Rusev before exiting. Now THAT’S how you go out with a ‘BANG’!

It was also nice to see Bray Wyatt get a nice, long run in the Rumble. At times, I worry that the company has forgotten about the man who was a top heel just last summer, and seemed poised to break through the proverbial glass ceiling. Giving Wyatt the CM Punk/Rumble treatment (eliminating competitors so efficiently that he has time to cut an in-ring promo) was a cool spot, and tossing out 20% of the field doesn’t hurt your cache either.

Now, for the flip side.

Lost in the sauce of the venom spewed towards Roman Reigns is the fact that The Ascension is falling flat. In NXT, The Ascension reigned as the badass tag champs for nearly a year. Their gimmick was cool, different, and threatening. As members of the main roster, however, Konnor and Viktor have come off as campy Road Warriors/Demolition rip-offs who have to sell clotheslines from 50-year-old announcers.

Struggling to defeat the New Age Outlaws (average age: 49) in the Rumble opener does little to advance The Ascension. Is it already time to pull the plug?

Many will point to the quick exit of fan-favorite Daniel Bryan as the black eye of the evening, but the WWE knew exactly what they were doing.

Knowing that Roman Reigns would be the eventual winner, and that the boisterous Philly crowd would, no doubt, be less than happy, the decision was made to enter Bryan at the #10 spot. This would position him far enough away from the ending of the match, to help lessen the blow of his elimination (10-15 minutes after his arrival). Can you imagine what the reaction would have been if Bryan was thrown out by Reigns to end the show?

Unfortunately for the WWE, the fans didn’t care for this logic.

Having Bryan eliminated so early only gave the crowd more time to boo any other prospective winners, kill the positive vibes left over by the fantastic title match, and overshadow the remaining wrestlers with chants of “Dan-iel Bry-an,” “Bullsh*t,” and “We want refunds.”

The crowd occasionally stirred for the remainder of the event, popping for Dean Ambrose, Ryback, and Dolph Ziggler (to varying degrees), but the bloom was definitely off the rose by the time Bryan was eliminated (roughly one-third of the way through the match).

Having Ziggler appear at number 30 was also a head-scratcher. Ziggler is a physical marvel, and could’ve been given a Shawn Michaels/Ric Flair/Rey Mysterio-type long run in the match. This would also give the fans someone to latch on to when Bryan was eliminated. Instead, by the time Ziggler entered the Rumble, the crowd was already incensed.

The eliminations of Wyatt, Ziggler, and Ambrose were also nonsensical.

Having three essential members of your future (who are all over-like-Rover with the fans) succumb to KO punches by a past-his-prime Big Show, and be tossed out unceremoniously like garbage bags, further enraged the WWE Universe.

Which brings me to Roman Reigns.

Full disclosure, Reigns doesn’t bother me as much as he does other fans. He needs to expand his move set, he needs to get better on the mic (though some of the blame has to be placed on crappy writing), he has to improve his cardio, and he needs to somehow recapture that Shield magic. But, I don’t dislike the early returns, and I don’t question the star potential.

The fans (myself included) are more frustrated with the WWE’s desire to force feed superstars to us. We don’t want John Cena as a white meat babyface, but that’s what we’ve gotten for years. We didn’t want a heel turn for Ryback, or a face turn for CM Punk, but that’s what we were given. We had no desire to see Batista return to headline Wrestlemania, but our points-of-view were ignored. And we didn’t support the rushed monster push of Reigns (Slammy’s “Superstar of the Year”?) when so many other young babyfaces are more seasoned (and more ‘over’).

Watching the Rumble, my wife was in-and-out of her latest novel. But, given my limited vocal observations during the show, even SHE knew what was happening when The Rock showed up to clean house on Kane and The Big Show. She saw this as a desperate attempt to rescue a reeling Roman Reigns, and force the crowd to cheer their forcibly-anointed hero.

Seeing a perplexed Rock, the beloved icon, awash in a shower of boos tells you everything you need to know about the fans’ opinion.

Mix that with the seemingly thousands of fans who flocked to the WWE’s website to immediately cancel their Network subscriptions (crashing the site in the process), the 2015 Royal Rumble could become a day that will live in infamy for the company.

]]>http://www.betweentheropes.com/2015/01/27/the-highs-and-lows-of-the-wwe-royal-rumble-2015/feed/1WWE doesn’t need youhttp://www.betweentheropes.com/2015/01/26/wwe-doesnt-need/
http://www.betweentheropes.com/2015/01/26/wwe-doesnt-need/#commentsMon, 26 Jan 2015 20:52:24 +0000http://www.betweentheropes.com/?p=16414For those of you that missed it, last night was the WWE’s second-biggest pay-per-view event of the year: the Royal Rumble. Even if the show itself is crap, most look forward to the Rumble itself. Battle royals rock, special entrants are bound to show up every year and there’s bound to be a crazy spot ...

]]>For those of you that missed it, last night was the WWE’s second-biggest pay-per-view event of the year: the Royal Rumble.

Even if the show itself is crap, most look forward to the Rumble itself. Battle royals rock, special entrants are bound to show up every year and there’s bound to be a crazy spot or two. It’s a formula that’s hard to screw up.

Enter the WWE.

Let’s take a quick trip down memory lane: at last year’s Rumble event, Daniel Bryan was one of the hottest acts in all the company. He wrestled a match of the year candidate against Bray Wyatt early in the show and as the entrants of the Rumble poured in, the crowd grew with anticipation that the leader of the “YES!” movement would show up.

Then, the buzzer sounded for entrant #30 and “BOOYAKA BOOYAKA” filled the speakers. And with that, the crowd was done. The crowd booed Rey Mysterio as he entered because he wasn’t Daniel Bryan. They booed and booed as the match continued, booing their loudest when Batista – the long-rumored winner of the Rumble – tossed out Roman Reigns to win the match. Bryan wasn’t announced for the match, but the fans expected arguably the most over guy in the company to at least be involved. Eventually, the crowd couldn’t be ignored and Bryan got his main event match at Wrestlemania, winning the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.

Back to last night. The WWE did as they seemingly always do of late, having a mostly mediocre show that could be a passable episode of Raw with one tremendous match. And that Brock Lesnar/John Cena/Seth Rollins triple threat match for the title might be the match of the year when we roll into 2016. It defied what the WWE normally does. It not only told a story, but it made sense. John Cena came in as the valiant, but arrogant and kind of dumb hero. He wouldn’t take any “shortcuts” even if it cost him the title. Seth Rollins used his speed and cunning, popping in and out to take his shots because he knew he couldn’t go toe-to-toe with his opponents. And Brock Lesnar was just the monster that couldn’t be stopped. He destroyed everything unless he was caught by surprise or the other two double-teamed him. He ate four finishers, took steps to the face and got driven through a table. It gave Cena and Rollins a chance without diminishing what a monster Lesnar was. Rollins hit a goddamn phoenix splash after an exciting exchange before Brock popped back into murder everyone because he’s simply not human. It was a masterpiece from start to finish.

Then the Rumble itself happened.

Old faces showed up – DDP was awesome with his infinite Diamond Cutters and even I popped for the return of Bubba Ray Dudley – and the company was smart enough to finally include Bryan in the event. For about 10 minutes.

Bray Wyatt, who had a nice showing in the Rumble as this dominant physical force that he should have been if he wasn’t busy jobbing to John Cena and anyone else, dumped Bryan to the floor midway through and the crowd was stunned. I was stunned. They couldn’t be this stupid again, could they?

The crowd immediately booed. They booed some more. Even Mizdow, Dean Ambrose and Dolph Ziggler couldn’t save the match, though they were all quickly and unceremoniously dumped as well. The crowd continued to boo, knowing that the long-predicted Roman Reigns win was actually going to happen.

So when the final three were going at it – Reigns, Big Show and Kane – the rage of the crowd became the rage of just about anyone tired of the last several years of WWE decision-making. This was the guy they wanted to win and whether you liked it or not, this was happening. No matter how much you cheer, how much you boo, how much you tell us you hate what we’re doing, this is what you’re going to get and you’re going to like it. It was like watching the WWE spit in the face of every fan and asking them if they’d like seconds.

When it appeared Reigns had won, the boos rained down. Big Show and Kane came back to resume their beatdown of Reigns and the crowd continued to boo. The freakin’ Rock showed up, but the crowd only stopped booing to cheer him for a brief moment before booing once more.

To save effort and protect the health of those involved, Vince McMahon could have gone out after the triple threat and just casually flipped off the crowd for 90 minutes. It would have been just as productive, a helluva lot funnier and totally expected. Instead, we get treated to a spoonful of crap we don’t want simply because those in charge refuse to listen to anyone but themselves. We’re dying to give the WWE our attention and money, but they almost don’t want it. They continue to spit in our collective faces, continue to act as if our reactions don’t matter and convince themselves that this will continue on forever regardless of how things are. WCW thought that way once. WWE will be thrilled to tell you where they ended up.

Here’s to hoping that the WWE’s hand is forced again this year as it was last year with Daniel Bryan. But don’t expect the WWE to change anytime soon. They don’t need you anyway.

]]>http://www.betweentheropes.com/2015/01/26/wwe-doesnt-need/feed/0Why #CancelWWENetwork is Good for the Businesshttp://www.betweentheropes.com/2015/01/26/cancelwwenetwork-good-business/
http://www.betweentheropes.com/2015/01/26/cancelwwenetwork-good-business/#commentsMon, 26 Jan 2015 14:35:54 +0000http://www.betweentheropes.com/?p=16405If you watched the Royal Rumble on Sunday evening you know the vitriol that came from the Philadelphia crowd after Daniel Bryan’s elimination and subsequent Roman Reigns victory. It was ugly. It only got more ugly on social media. Fans began to screenshot their cancellation pages for the WWE Network, and the hashtag #CancelWWENetwork began ...

]]>If you watched the Royal Rumble on Sunday evening you know the vitriol that came from the Philadelphia crowd after Daniel Bryan’s elimination and subsequent Roman Reigns victory. It was ugly.

It only got more ugly on social media.

Fans began to screenshot their cancellation pages for the WWE Network, and the hashtag #CancelWWENetwork began to trend. First slowly, but then it got so popular it became the #1 trending topic worldwide. If many of those who used that hashtag did indeed unsubscribe from the Network that should have the folks in Stamford very uncomfortable this morning.

However, it is good for the business. It is what is needed.

This isn’t about Reigns winning the Rumble. It goes beyond that. Fans are starting to voice their opinions with their wallets and not just chants. That is what creates change.

In this world of no competition the WWE owns the industry. You cannot simply turn the channel to WCW. But when the WWE changed their business model to make the Network such a significant piece of their business it in turn gave fans a voice much the same as they had all those years ago. It can directly, and quickly, effect the bottomline.

This is also not about stopping being a professional wrestling fan. Those who did cancel their subscription are still likely to tune into Raw and tweet about it, but that money that was headed into the WWE coffers is now staying in the consumer’s pocket. Fans are finally speaking with what matters – not chants, but money.

Voicing with their wallets will make them heard, and that’s great for business. It forces the WWE to become more compelling with their storylines. There is no complacency anymore. If the fans are turned off by the product they cancel their subscription. The WWE is tied to the Network. They are not a pay-per-view event company anymore. They are a subscription based company who needs to deliver on a consistent basis. Fans are beginning to realize they power they have.

Will fans return? Sure. But when? The WWE cannot simply rely on a notion that they will come back and this is just addle-minded children lashing out at their parent as some on Twitter suggest. The WWE has to take this kind of reaction seriously.

Fans rebelled because Reigns is not ready. His mic work is dreadful, and his in-ring work is limited. Meanwhile, while it is obvious he is green the WWE continued to shove him down the throats of their audience… just like Mr. Rocky Maivia.

The Rock, however, had an advantage that Reigns did not. He was in the WWE at a time of non-scripted promos. He was allowed to grow in the midcard. Fans rebelled against him winning the Intercontinental Championship, but stayed glued to the set because of Stone Cold Steve Austin, Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, and The Undertaker. The main event scene was amazing.

When The Rock became a part of The Nation of Domination he could get creative with his promos. His character developed nicely into the superstar he is today.

Reigns is not being afforded that opportunity. He has a great look and he has some natural charisma. He just is not being allowed to use it. He is being tossed into a position that highlights how bad of a decision this is.

The former Shield member already struggles on the mic. How is it going to make him look going up against Paul Heyman every week? Heyman will do his best to sell Reigns as a threat, but it is not going to be all that effective.

What happens on Raw will be very telling. The WWE brass will have seen the numbers. They don’t have to wait like in the good ol’ days. They have instant access to this information. It will be difficult to change the main event this year, but it is clearly not what the fans want. The WWE must craft something special to get back in the good graces of their beloved fans.

#CancelWWENNetwork may have finally broken through to the fans to speak with their hard earned money instead of chants that can be ignored. It will force the WWE to compete against themselves to improve. That is fantastic.

When Vince McMahon and company are pushed they usually respond. This should be an interesting Road to WrestleMania as they try to win back a legion of fans.

]]>http://www.betweentheropes.com/2015/01/26/cancelwwenetwork-good-business/feed/0Royal Rumble 2015 Resultshttp://www.betweentheropes.com/2015/01/25/royal-rumble-2015-results/
http://www.betweentheropes.com/2015/01/25/royal-rumble-2015-results/#commentsMon, 26 Jan 2015 00:55:21 +0000http://www.betweentheropes.com/?p=16393Royal Rumble 2015 January 25, 2015 Wells Fargo Center Philadelphia, Pennsylvania For all of our coverage on the WWE click here Royal Rumble Kickoff: We start off with the panel and your host is Renee Young. She is joined by Booker T, Corey Graves, and Byron Saxton. Renee reminds us of the price on the WWE ...

We start off with the panel and your host is Renee Young. She is joined by Booker T, Corey Graves, and Byron Saxton. Renee reminds us of the price on the WWE Network while Booker repeats the price in the background. Corey reminds everyone to use social media. We see a tweet from Jim Duggan, the man who won the first Royal Rumble. Who will be the man who gets the main event at Wrestlemania? Who will be the man who faces the winner of the Royal Rumble match at Wrestlemania? Will it be Brock Lesnar, Seth Rollins, or John Cena. Renee mentions that someone sent out a Tweet earlier today and we see the photo from the Rock taken in South Philly. We see a rebuttal from Lana and she besmirches the honor of the eating habits of the people of Philadelphia. Renee asks for the predictions of the panelists for the Royal Rumble match. Byron hems and haws and he goes with Bray Wyatt. He says Bray has been in the shadows but he will do something special tonight. Corey goes next but the crowd shows no respect to Corey by chanting for Booker. Corey goes with Roman Reigns because of his performance from last year and Roman told him he is ready. Booker says that he is picking Rusev. He has been dominating in 2014 and he will kick off 2015 with a big win.

We go to Tom Phillips, by himself, in the WWE Royal Rumble Social Media Lounge. Tom mentions that Dolph Ziggler, Erick Rowan, and Ryback will be in the Social Media Lounge during the Kickoff Show. They talk about the Divas match and Booker suggests that Paige can look up to Natalya for guidance. The panel moves on to talk about the tag match with the Ascension versus the New Age Outlaws. Tom Phillips is with the New Age Outlaws. Road Dogg says that John wants to ask him some questions, but he probably should have asked the Ascension because they have been running their mouth, but they were stopped by the APA, nWo, and them. He asks Fred if there are any other questions. Tom asks about their age. Billy tells Fred that age is mind over matter. Road Dogg says they don’t mind and the Ascension does not matter. Road Dogg and Billy argue over the words to be said. Billy says that they have two words, but Road Dogg tells him not to give it away for free. They need to hear it on the network. Booker says the Ascension cannot overlook the New Age Outlaws and he hopes they will not self destruct tonight. We will go to an interview that Booker T had with Shawn Michaels in a moment. We are back and we go to the interview that Booker T had with Shawn Michaels.

Shawn Michaels Interview:

Booker says it is an honor for Shawn to talk to him and Shawn mentions that Booker does have the ring. Booker asks Shawn about the Rumble match. Shawn points out the winner gets to headline Wrestlemania. Everyone wants to be the champion. This match opens a lot of doors. Shawn is asked about 1995 when he won from Number One. Shawn says that is when you find out a man’s true desire. If you don’t want it more than anyone else, you are going to be eliminated. Booker asks about the next year when he went back to back. He is asked if he can compare the two. Shawn says the goal is to get to Wrestlemania and walk out with the title. He was in a better place the second year. Shawn is asked about Daniel Bryan and his chances this year. Shawn says it is not the same situation, but it is similar. Shawn points out that Daniel had a great year, but the rug was pulled out from under him. He says Daniel needs to look deep within himself to win the Rumble and go on to Wrestlemania. Booker asks about Roman Reigns. Shawn says Roman is on a hot streak. Shawn says he doesn’t want to count out Bray Wyatt. There are a number of guys who you can call favorites and a guy you don’t expect to win could end up winning the Royal Rumble. Booker asks Shawn to talk about the feeling you get on the Road to Wrestlemania. Shawn says the focus should be on the Rumble. The winner moves on to Wrestlemania’s main event. Then you fight for your spot on Wrestlemania. Once the Rumble ends, you have to go from thinking about being in the main event to just being part of the process.

Big E and Tyson start things off and Kidd with a waist lock but Big E with a back drop. Kidd talks some strategy and then he kicks Big E. Big E blocks a kick and he gets a near fall. Big E kicks Kidd away and he hits a back breaker and holds on for two more and he gets a near fall. Kofi tags in and he drop kicks Kidd when Big E elevates him and Kofi with a near fall. Cesaro tags in and Kidd with a wrist lock but Cesaro with a waist lock. Big E tags in and he punches Cesaro. Big E with an Irish whip and shoulder into the corner. Big E with another Irish whip and shoulder into the corner. Big E gets a near fall. Kofi tags back in and Kofi with a forearm off the turnbuckles for a near fall. Kofi with a hammer lock but Cesaro with an elbow and he connects with a European uppercut and he tags in Kidd. Kidd with kicks and he chokes Kofi. Kidd with a kick to the midsection and he chokes Kofi in the ropes. Cesaro gets in a kick. Cesaro tags back in and he kicks Kofi in the ribs. Cesaro with a slam and he gets a near fall. Kofi with a punch and he fights his way out of the corner but Cesaro catches Kofi. Kofi with a sunset flip and he gets a near fall. Kidd tags in and Cesaro with the Giant Swing and Kidd with a drop kick as Kofi goes around and Kidd gets a near fall.

We are back and Cesaro with a reverse chin lock on Kofi. Kofi with elbows and he tries for a sunset flip but Kidd tags in and Cesaro holds Kofi for Kidd to connect with a kick and he gets a near fall. Kidd with a front face lock followed by an Irish whip. Kofi with a drop kick out of the corner and both men are down. Big E tags in and he connects with clotheslines followed by a belly-to-belly suplex. Big E runs into a boot from Cesaro but Big E with a uranage and he gets a near fall. Big E stops Kidd from interfering and he catapults Kidd over the top rope. Big E elevates Kofi onto Kidd on the floor. Big E with a spear through the ropes and he sends Cesaro to the floor. Big E gets Cesaro up for the Big Ending but Cesaro gets to his feet and he connects with a European uppercut and drop kick. Kofi with a cross body but the referee refuses the count because Kofi did not tag in.

Big E comes back in and he tags in Kofi. Big E with an Irish whip and Cesaro takes care of Big E. Kofi with a pendulum kick but Cesaro with a European uppercut. Kidd is tagged in and Cesaro with a superplex followed by a springboard elbow drop from Kidd for a near fall. Kidd tries for the Sharpshooter but Kofi kicks Kidd to the floor. Kidd with a sunset flip and Cesaro tries to add more pressure to prevent a kick out and he stops the count. Woods hits Cesaro on the floor and Kofi gets a near fall with a rollup.Kidd locks in the Sharpshooter and Big E with an overhead belly-to-belly suplex to break it up. Cesaro takes care of Big E but Kofi sends Kidd to the floor. Kofi with Trouble in Paradise to Rose on the apron. Kofi with a rollup for a near fall but Cesaro with a European uppercut from the floor and Kidd with a fisherman swinging neck breaker for the three count.

Winner: Tyson Kidd & Cesaro

Dolph Ziggler, Ryabck & Erick Rowan Interview:

Tom Phillips who is with Dolph Ziggler, Ryback, and Erick Rowan. Tom asks Ryback for his feelings about being fired after telling his life story. Ryback says you tell your life story about reaching your dreams and your passions only to have bosses with no souls. It makes him hungrier. Dolph is asked about Sting appearing on Raw to help Cena. Dolph says he was rooting for John Cena, which doesn’t happen too often. They deserve to be in the WWE and he says that he thinks he is the best. Erick is asked about coming up short on Smackdown. Erick says they keep throwing stuff at him. Frustration is starting to kick in a little bit. It is not how you handle the situation, it is what you do about it. Tom asks them what is their biggest challenge about competing in the Rumble. Ryback says outlasting everyone to win. Dolph says he can go all night long. He says that he is going to steal the show tonight and he will outlast everyone. Rowan says we just aren’t going to know, are we?

WWE Royal Rumble:

First Match: The New Age Outlaws vs. The Ascension

Viktor and Gunn starts things off and they lock up and Gunn with a side head lock. Gunn with a shoulder tackle and Gunn with a hip toss and arm drag into an arm bar. Road Dogg tags in and he kicks Viktor. Viktor backs Dogg into the corner and he tags in Konnor. They kick Road Dogg. Road Dogg with punches to Konnor and then he does the knee drop and gets a near fall. Konnor with shoulders in the corner and the referee warns Konnor and that allows Road Dogg to go after Viktor. Konnor with a splash and he tags in Viktor. Viktor with a reverse chin lock. Viktor with a hip toss and then he hits a fist drop to the head. Konnor tags back in and he kicks Road Dogg and then he sends him to the mat and gets a near fall.

Konnor with a front face lock into a reverse chin lock. Road Dogg with elbows but Konnor with a forearm. Konnor tries for a belly-to-back suplex but Road Dogg with a counter into a cross body. Konnor misses and elbows and Viktor tags in and he applies a reverse chin lock. Road Dogg makes the tag and Gunn with punches to Viktor and then he sends Konnor to the floor. Gunn with a tilt-a-whirl slam. Gunn with a kick and he sets for the Fameasser but Viktor moves.

Winner: The Ascension

The Authority & Paul Heyman Backstage Segment:

Triple H and Stephanie are on the phone. Stephanie asks where was Sting hiding? On the top of the arena. Hunter says five people told him today Nikolai Volkoff is here, but no one told him about Sting on Monday. Stephanie says they will fix it. Hunter says he will defend his house and he will destroy Sting. Paul Heyman enters and he says he is not here to cause any problems and he can solve their problems. They had a problem with John Cena as Champion so he gave them the solution of Brock Lesnar. He has a solution for the problem he has with the Title match tonight and he has Brock Lesnar. He has the solution for Sting is Brock Lesnar.

Miz and Jey start things off and Jey with a side head lock. Miz with kicks in the corner and Miz thinks the people are cheering for him, not Sandow. Miz with an Irish whip but Jey with chops. Miz with a knee. Jimmy tags in and Jey with a back breaker and Jimmy with a splash for a near fall. Jimmy with chops. Miz with an Irish whip and he hits the Awesome Clothesline. Miz goes up top but Jimmy crotches him. Sandow climbs the turnbuckles and he crotches himself. Jimmy chops Miz and then Jimmy gets pushed off the turnbuckles and Miz jumps into a punch. Sandow jumps off the turnbuckles. Jimmy with a kick to Miz but Miz sends Jimmy throat first into the ropes. Miz with kicks to Jimmy in the corner. Miz with a snap mare and reverse chin lock. Miz teases his own tag team partner to tag in but he pulls away. Jimmy misses a punch and Miz tries for the Reality Check but Miz only gets the first neck breaker. Miz is able to hit the Reality Check and gets a near fall. Sandow wants the tag and Miz thinks about it but Miz pulls his hand away.Jimmy with a kick and enzuigiri. Both men are down. Jey tags in and he hits a running clothesline or two. Jey with a thrust kick and Samoan drop to Miz. Jey sets for the running butt splash and he hits it. Jey sends Sandow to the floor. Miz with an O’Connor Roll but Jey rolls through and gets a near fall.

Miz with a DDT and he gets a near fall. Miz with knees to the hamstring to set up for the figure four but Jey sends Miz into the turnbuckles. Jey with an enzuigiri after missing the first one and Miz goes to the floor. Miz drops Jey on the top rope on a plancha. Miz throws Sandow in the way of Jimmy. Jey with a flip dive onto Miz and everyone is down. Jey goes up top and he misses a superfly splash. Miz with a Skull Crushing Finale for a near fall. Miz punches Jey in the corner and then he runs into a super kick from Jey. Jey goes up top and he hits a superfly splash but Sandow breaks up the cover. Jimmy is sent into the ring post. Sandow hits the Skull Crushing Finale on Jey and Miz crawls over to make the cover but Jey kicks out at two. Miz picks up Jey and sets for a superplex but Jey with a head butt to knock Miz to the mat. Jey super kicks Sandow off the turnbuckles and Miz stops Jey on top. Jey blocks another superplex attempt. Jimmy tags in and Jey tries for a sunset flip power bomb and Miz holds on to the ropes. Jimmy with a super kick and Jey with the sunset flip power bomb followed by a Superfly splash from Jimmy for the three count.

Winner: Still WWE Tag Team Champions The Usos

Third Match: Paige & Natalya vs. The Bella Twins

Nikki and Paige start things off and Nikki with kicks and an uppercut. Paige with a back heel kick but Nikki with a shoulder tackle. Paige with a forearm and knee. Natalya tags in and they hit a double snap mare and Natalya gets a near fall. Natalya with a hammer lock but Nikki with a snap mare. Brie tags in and she kicks Natalya in the arm. Brie continues to work on the arm but Natalya with punches and she tags in Paige. They hit a double delayed vertical suplex and Paige crawls to mount Brie for a cover. Paige with head butts and then she goes to the apron for a series of knees to the midsection. Natalya tags in and she kicks Brie in the head. Paige tags back in but Brie with a drop kick and she covers Natalya but Natalya is not the legal person in the match. Paige comes in and she hits a super kick for a near fall. Natalya tags back in and she tries for a slam but Brie turns it into a reverse DDT and she gets a near fall. Nikki tags in and Brie with a snap mare and Nikki with a neck snap for a near fall. Natalya with punches but Nikki mocks Paige by holding out Natalya’s hand. Natalya with a snap mare but Nikki takes care of Natalya.

Nikki gets a near fall. Brie tags in and she hits a double sledge and she gets a near fall. Brie with a knee to the midsection and it is time for Brie Mode and she connects with a running knee to the chest and she gets a near fall. Nikki tags back in and they roll through and send Natalya to the mat. Nikki gets a near fall. Nikki with a head scissors. Natalya gets to her feet and she hits an Electric Chair drop and both women are down. Nikki tries to roll Natalya through but Natalya tries for a Sharpshooter. Nikki with elbows in the corner followed by a clothesline after Natalya takes care of Brie. Nikki with an Irish whip but she misses a forearm in the corner. Natalya kicks Nikki away but Brie pulls Paige off the apron so Natalya cannot make the tag. Nikki with a forearm that Lex Luger would be jealous of for the three count.

Winner: The Bella Twins

We see a video package of WWE Superstars talking about the Royal Rumble Match.

Brock Lesnar wipes out J&J Security and turns around into an Attitude Adjustment attempt from Cena, which Rollins stops. Lesnar takes out Cena and Rollins both. Lesnar is dominating both guys as we see a sadistic smile on the face of Paul Heyman at ringside. Lesnar is starting with the many German suplexes on both guys now. Now he’s hitting some traditional suplexes. Lesnar is in complete control of the offense of this triple-threat match thus far. The “let’s go Lesnar” chants break out as The Beast Incarnate starts hitting people with suplexes again. As Lesnar continues to dominate the action, the fans erupt in a very random “E-C-W! E-C-W!” chant. Lesnar locks Cena in a kimura as Rollins is selling outside of the ring. Out of nowhere, Rollins does a springboard dropkick to break up the kimura attempt by the champ. Cena is down now as Rollins kicks away at the legs of the monster. Out of nowhere, Cena hits an Attitude Adjustment on Lesnar. Rollins throws Cena out of the ring and covers Lesnar, but Lesnar kicks out at one. Lesnar throws Rollins and Cena out of the ring. He goes out after them but walks directly into a big kick from Rollins. Cena dropkicks a grounded Lesnar. Rollins runs away now as Cena chases him. The two end up back in the ring. Each time Cena knocks Rollins down, the fans boo like crazy. Cena goes for the Five Knuckle Shuffle, smiling in reaction to the loud boo’s from the Philly fans.

Rollins avoids the Five Knuckle Shuffle but walks into a sidewalk slam for his efforts. Cena raises his hand again for a Five Knuckle Shuffle attempt, but out of nowhere, Lesnar grabs him from behind and blasts him with a German suplex. And another. Rollins dropkicks Lesnar in the face before he can hit Cena with a third German suplex. Lesnar stands above both guys. He throws Cena out of the ring. Rollins comes out of nowhere with a springboard clothesline attempt but Lesnar — in an awesome feat of strength — catches him in mid-air right across his shoulders and blasts him with an F-5. He covers him for the pin, but Cena makes the save and breaks up the count at the last second. Brock heads out to the floor and clears off the announce table. He takes one of the monitors and smashes it onto the ring steps. He heads back into the ring and Cena welcomes him with an A.A. Lesnar pops back up but pops up right into another A.A. He stumbles back to his feet immediately again, but again, Cena nails him with another A.A. Rollins hits a Curb Stomp on Lesnar and covers him, but Cena breaks up the pin again. The fans in Philly break out into a loud “this is awesome!” chant — and they’re right. This is turning into a hell of a match.

The action spills out to the floor. Lesnar is stumbling around after taking three A.A.’s and a Curb Stomp, while Cena and Rollins are laid out. Out of nowhere, Cena pops up and spears Lesnar through the barricade. They crash through the barricade and land on the ground in the crowd. Rollins rolls back into the ring.. Cena grabs Lesnar on the floor and throws him into the ring steps. Cena is whipped into the ring steps now. Lesnar is laid out across the Spanish announce table now as Rollins climbs to the top rope. He leaps off and lands on Lesnar, crashing through the announce table in the process. The “holy sh*t” chants break out as we see multiple replays of that incredible high spot. Those chants quickly change into “E-C-W” chants, and then those chants transform into a loud “this is awesome!” chant. Rollins runs and charges at Cena but Cena catches him in the A.A. position. Rollins escapes, however, but runs into Cena and is leveled. Cena and Rollins are down in the ring while Heyman is yelling for a doctor for Lesnar out on the floor. The announcers put over the fact that it’s a one-on-one match between Cena and Rollins now, as Lesnar is out of it on the floor. Lawler points out that two doctors are working on Lesnar on the floor. The announcers also remind us that Lesnar, the current WWE World Heavyweight Champion, does not have to be involved in the decision in this match to lose his title due to the triple-threat rules.

Cena and Rollins are both down in the ring again, while Lesnar remains laid out on the floor. Rollins and Cena struggle their way back to their feet. Cena grabs Rollins by the leg and locks him in the STF. Rollins crawls to the ropes Out of nowhere, Mercury and Noble hit the ring and start punching and kicking away at Cena. The announcers remind us that there are no count outs or disqualifications in this match. Meanwhile, we see doctors and EMTs heading down to rnigside with a stretcher. They go over to Lesnar and are getting ready to stretcher him out of here. Meanwhile, Rollins slams Cena and covers him. Cena kicks out at two. The announcers tell us that Lesnar hasn’t moved in several minutes. In the ring, Rollins has his Money In The Bank briefcase and is waiting for Cena to get back to his feet. Once he does, Rollins charges at Cena, but Cena throws him over the top rope. Mercury and Noble try to interfere again, but Cena hoists both of them up — at the same time — for an Attitude Adjustment. He nails it. He turns around and Rollins runs at him. Cena hoists him up and blasts him with an A.A. as well. He covers him immediately, but Rollins somehow manages to kick out at two and a half.We see a shot of Lesnar, who is still laid out in the mess that used to be the Spanish announce table. The announcers inform us that they’ve gotten word that Lesnar has suffered — at the very least — a broken rib. Meanwhile, the action continues in the ring. Rollins nails Cena with a Curb Stomp out of nowhere. He covers Cena but Cena somehow manages to kick out at two and a half. Rollins hits a big 450-splash type of move that looked unbelievable. But then out of nowhere, and I mean nowhere, Lesnar hits the ring and German suplexes Rollins. Rollins took a bad landing but is alright, as he pops back up and nails Lesnar with his briefcase. Lesnar shrugs it off and knocks Cena out of the ring. He blasts Rollins with an F-5 and covers him. 1-2-3. Lesnar wins.

]]>http://www.betweentheropes.com/2015/01/25/royal-rumble-2015-results/feed/0Royal Rumble: How to turn WWE’s 30-man battle royal into a lotteryhttp://www.betweentheropes.com/2015/01/25/royal-rumble-turn-wwes-30-man-battle-royal-lottery/
http://www.betweentheropes.com/2015/01/25/royal-rumble-turn-wwes-30-man-battle-royal-lottery/#commentsSun, 25 Jan 2015 22:47:57 +0000http://www.betweentheropes.com/?p=16367Tonight’s Royal Rumble isn’t lacking in intrigue. The Rock is in Philadelphia; what role will the Great One play in tonight’s show? Will the Rock enter and win the Rumble? Will Roman Reigns win it? Daniel Bryan? What other surprise entrants will get a chance to toss 29 other combatants and for the right to point at ...

]]>Tonight’s Royal Rumble isn’t lacking in intrigue. The Rock is in Philadelphia; what role will the Great One play in tonight’s show? Will the Rock enter and win the Rumble? Will Roman Reigns win it? Daniel Bryan? What other surprise entrants will get a chance to toss 29 other combatants and for the right to point at the WrestleMania sign (and main event WrestleMania)?

But, for me and my friends (and a lot of other people), the Royal Rumble is our chance to win a pot of money. The mystery of the Rumble — not knowing who owns which number — allows fans watching along at home to enter a Royal Rumble lottery.

Cut up pieces of paper and number them one through 30. Using the names of the wrestlers won’t work. First, we don’t know everyone in the match. Second, drawing the name of Roman Reigns or Daniel Bryan would take away the mystery and fun of the draw. Say you draw No. 12. You don’t know if you have a golden ticket or scrap paper.

Fold them up and put them in a bowl.

Sell the numbers for a $1 or whatever price you like. If you’re a real high roller, you can build a pretty big pot.

In the past, my group of friends has paid out $25 to the winner and $5 to the person holding the ticket of the first person eliminated. You can mix up your payouts however you like, paying out for the the fastest elimination, most eliminations or longest lasting wrester in the Rumble.

This year, my friends and I have agreed to a side bet: The person whose wrestlers are eliminated first must take home and hang up this Fruity Pebbles-colored prize:

I’ve played this lottery every year, and even non-fans get into the excitement. And who wouldn’t want to hope that Vince McMahon has lost his mind and given Mizdow a Rumble victory?

]]>http://www.betweentheropes.com/2015/01/25/royal-rumble-turn-wwes-30-man-battle-royal-lottery/feed/0Poll: Who Do You Think will Win the WWE Royal Rumble 2015?http://www.betweentheropes.com/2015/01/25/poll-think-will-win-wwe-royal-rumble-2015/
http://www.betweentheropes.com/2015/01/25/poll-think-will-win-wwe-royal-rumble-2015/#commentsSun, 25 Jan 2015 15:31:17 +0000http://www.betweentheropes.com/?p=16371Tonight it’s the WWE Royal Rumble 2015 with plenty of talk who will win the 30-man over-the-top battle royal. Roman Reigns has seemingly been a favorite for a while but is he still? Or how about Daniel Bryan winning now that he’s back from his injury? Then there are several others who could be the ...

]]>http://www.betweentheropes.com/2015/01/25/poll-think-will-win-wwe-royal-rumble-2015/feed/0Eric Gargiulo Talks WWE Royal Rumble 2015, What’s Happening with Brock Lesnar, WrestleMania 32http://www.betweentheropes.com/2015/01/22/eric-gargiulo-talks-wwe-royal-rumble-2015-whats-happening-brock-lesnar-wrestlemania-32/
http://www.betweentheropes.com/2015/01/22/eric-gargiulo-talks-wwe-royal-rumble-2015-whats-happening-brock-lesnar-wrestlemania-32/#commentsThu, 22 Jan 2015 12:34:21 +0000http://www.betweentheropes.com/?p=16306Eric Gargiulo from CamelClutchBlog.com joins the podcast as he talks about WWE Royal Rumble 2015, who he thinks has a real chance of winning the Rumble match itself, the Brock Lesnar dilemma and whether or not he’s staying with the WWE, what match he would like to see at the top of the card for WrestleMania ...

]]>Eric Gargiulo from CamelClutchBlog.com joins the podcast as he talks about WWE Royal Rumble 2015, who he thinks has a real chance of winning the Rumble match itself, the Brock Lesnar dilemma and whether or not he’s staying with the WWE, what match he would like to see at the top of the card for WrestleMania 32 and what he thinks will actually happen. Plus, they look ahead to WrestleMania 32 and what he thinks WWE will do to try and put 100,000 people in AT&T Stadium in Dallas along with his thoughts on Wrestle Kingdom 9 and what in particular he didn’t like about the show, missing out on big wrestling events in the past and plenty more.

]]>http://www.betweentheropes.com/2015/01/22/eric-gargiulo-talks-wwe-royal-rumble-2015-whats-happening-brock-lesnar-wrestlemania-32/feed/0Eric Gargiulo from CamelClutchBlog.com joins the podcast as he talks about WWE Royal Rumble 2015, who he thinks has a real chance of winning the Rumble match itself, the Brock Lesnar dilemma and whether or not he's staying with the WWE,Eric Gargiulo from CamelClutchBlog.com joins the podcast as he talks about WWE Royal Rumble 2015, who he thinks has a real chance of winning the Rumble match itself, the Brock Lesnar dilemma and whether or not he's staying with the WWE, what match he would like to see at the top of the card for WrestleMania 32 and what he thinks will actually happen. Plus, they look ahead to WrestleMania 32 and what he thinks WWE will do to try and put 100,000 people in AT&T Stadium in Dallas along with his thoughts on Wrestle Kingdom 9 and what in particular he didn't like about the show, missing out on big wrestling events in the past and plenty more.
Make sure to check out CamelClutchBlog.com and follow Eric on Twitter @CamelClutchBlog.
Subscribe to Between The Ropes on iTunes so you automatically get the latest podcasts and make sure to give us your review and comments on iTunes. You can also subscribe to Between The Ropes on Stitcher.Brian FritznoThe Flagship: WWE Raw Fallout Leading into the Royal Rumble, WrestleMania 31 Matches and Morehttp://www.betweentheropes.com/2015/01/21/the-flagship-wwe-raw-fallout-leading-into-the-royal-rumble-wrestlemania-31-matches-and-more/
http://www.betweentheropes.com/2015/01/21/the-flagship-wwe-raw-fallout-leading-into-the-royal-rumble-wrestlemania-31-matches-and-more/#commentsWed, 21 Jan 2015 13:50:20 +0000http://www.betweentheropes.com/?p=16277It’s the weekly Flagship podcast with Brian and Michael as they talk about WWE Raw from Monday night, the fallout from the show going into this Sunday’s Royal Rumble PPV, who they think will win the Rumble match and leave that show as the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, how this affects the lineup for WrestleMania ...

]]>It’s the weekly Flagship podcast with Brian and Michael as they talk about WWE Raw from Monday night, the fallout from the show going into this Sunday’s Royal Rumble PPV, who they think will win the Rumble match and leave that show as the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, how this affects the lineup for WrestleMania 31 and the possible matches for that event involving Daniel Bryan, Seth Rollins, Brock Lesnar, Roman Reigns and others, WrestleMania 32 going to Dallas and what we could see there, the recent Twitter exchange between Josh Mathews and Jim Ross and more including your questions.

]]>http://www.betweentheropes.com/2015/01/21/the-flagship-wwe-raw-fallout-leading-into-the-royal-rumble-wrestlemania-31-matches-and-more/feed/0It's the weekly Flagship podcast with Brian and Michael as they talk about WWE Raw from Monday night, the fallout from the show going into this Sunday's Royal Rumble PPV, who they think will win the Rumble match and leave that show as the WWE World Hea...It's the weekly Flagship podcast with Brian and Michael as they talk about WWE Raw from Monday night, the fallout from the show going into this Sunday's Royal Rumble PPV, who they think will win the Rumble match and leave that show as the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, how this affects the lineup for WrestleMania 31 and the possible matches for that event involving Daniel Bryan, Seth Rollins, Brock Lesnar, Roman Reigns and others, WrestleMania 32 going to Dallas and what we could see there, the recent Twitter exchange between Josh Mathews and Jim Ross and more including your questions.
Subscribe to Between The Ropes on iTunes so you automatically get the latest podcasts and make sure to give us your review and comments on iTunes. You can also subscribe to Between The Ropes on Stitcher.Brian Fritzno1:39:11Five Favorites Going into WWE Royal Rumble 2015http://www.betweentheropes.com/2015/01/20/five-favorites-going-into-wwe-royal-rumble-2015/
http://www.betweentheropes.com/2015/01/20/five-favorites-going-into-wwe-royal-rumble-2015/#commentsWed, 21 Jan 2015 04:07:40 +0000http://www.betweentheropes.com/?p=16273The Royal Rumble is this Sunday evening, and the road to WrestleMania XXXI begins. The Rumble is one of the most exciting events in professional wrestling, and the winner gets sent to headline the biggest show of them all. It puts a spotlight on the event, and more importantly on the workers who perform above ...

]]>The Royal Rumble is this Sunday evening, and the road to WrestleMania XXXI begins.

The Rumble is one of the most exciting events in professional wrestling, and the winner gets sent to headline the biggest show of them all. It puts a spotlight on the event, and more importantly on the workers who perform above and beyond.

This past Monday on Raw there were three Hall of Fame legends in the ring to give their predictions. Shawn Michaels took Bray Wyatt, Hulk Hogan picked Daniel Bryan, and Ric Flair selected Dean Ambrose. However, the biggest name floating about is Roman Reigns.

30 superstars in total will enter the ring this Sunday, and here are five names to watch for when people start getting tossed over the top rope.

Dolph Ziggler

Ziggler will be one of the most interesting cases to watch unfold. Just a few months ago I wouldn’t have predicted him to be a legitimate threat to the win the Rumble, nor would I have picked him to be showcased in the event. Survivor Series changed that.

The WWE trusted Ziggler to carry that match for Team Cena. He shined. He was the star of Survivor Series. He has since dropped the Intercontinental Championship, and that means he is freed up to move on to bigger and better things.

It would be a mild surprise to see him win the Rumble, but he has a good shot to do just that. The WWE trusts him to perform under the bright lights.

Rusev

I can’t envision Rusev winning the Royal Rumble, but they have protected him for so long it is unlikely he has a bad showing.

Remember when they used The Rock opposite Rusev in New York City a few months back? That was not a mistake, and it was not simply for The Rock. There are big things ahead for Rusev at WrestleMania.

The question is – against who?

That is likely a question that will begin to be answered in Pennsylvania. Keep an eye on the seeds being planted for a big storyline for Rusev en route to San Francisco.

Bray Wyatt

Prior to Monday Night Raw I would not have put Wyatt on this list, but after Michaels mentioned him I am very interested to see what that means.

Was that another scripted segment? If so, why did they have Michaels pick Wyatt? If not, it is still telling one of the most respected members of the roster has so much faith in a popular heel. That should be a shot in the arm for Wyatt.

Wyatt could be trusted to be one of the workhorses of this Rumble.

Daniel Bryan

Without question all eyes are on Daniel Bryan.

Sadly, the WWE botched his return. They used his return to hype a move to Thursday for Smackdown instead of using him as a surprise entrant into the Rumble. It would have blown the roof off the arena. Even still, he will get a massive pop when his music hits.

When he did not come out at #30 last year it was a major blow to the event. It sucked the wind out of the Royal Rumble itself.

With his return Bryan is a front-runner to win, but it is difficult to imagine he headlines WrestleMania two years running. Will the WWE keep his incredible story rolling with a big Rumble win, or will he be tossed to the floor to give another the victory?

Roman Reigns

Reigns is looking more and more like the heir to John Cena. Reigns is taking center stage on magazines, billboards, and is featured prominently in the new flashy Raw opening.

Yet, the criticism is that he isn’t ready. It is a legitimate claim. WWE Hall of Famer Steve Austin talks about it on his podcast routinely. He needs to develop a larger move set, and his promo work leaves a lot to be desired. Still, Reigns is the odds on favorite to win this weekend.

Pushing Reigns too fast is one of the most divisive and intriguing storylines going in the WWE. The youth movement is winning out, but the more well-rounded members of the roster are not getting the WWE machine behind them like Reigns.

Reigns got the elimination record last year (12). He will be made to look strong once again in 2015, but the question is – will he win? Watch how they use him at the Rumble to gauge where Reigns truly is. The WWE will either recognize he needs more time, or throw caution to the wind and move him to the most prestigious spot in the industry long before he is ready to receive it.